Overview
SymBL Innovations (Toronto, ON) is engineering microbial communities to upcycle waste into ingredients for food, supplements and healthcare treatments.
What they’re doing: SymBL upcycles dairy sidestreams into octanoic acid, an antimicrobial and flavouring ingredient usually made from imported palm kernel oil. They’re also testing it as an ingredient for crop protection products in the agricultural sector.
How will this be used in the real world? For every three litres of milk processed into Greek yogurt, nearly two litres of acid whey is left behind. Instead of going to waste, SymBL is taking those leftovers to create food and bioherbicide ingredients that are produced in Canada, strengthening the country’s supply chain in a sustainable way.